Seven Essential Traits of Leaders

Often we get caught up in the day to day routine of managing our schools that we forget our role as leader. So for the next seven blog posts, UMA will take a look at some of the essential characteristics of leaders.

The first is EMPATHY.

To be empathetic, you have to be aware of the needs of your teachers and other employees, and sensitive to and active in meeting these needs. It involves anticipating the needs and behaviors of your team ( more on being a team later), becoming in effect a "facilitator of change" for them. The more your employees see you as one who effectively deals with problems and seeks opportunities for growth in yourself and others, the more they will be motivated to help you. Empathy enables you to more effectively influence and help individual employees. Empathy also will help you to encourage mutually helpful relations among group members and to win support for positive group effort.

Related subjects to consider: active listening, dealing with anger or frustration, honesty with humility, understanding.

A blog of the United Montessori Association- Montessori Distance Learning - Montessori Teacher Certification